common sparrow
by darksinfulwolf
Summary: One shots featuring Sakura/many. Ratings vary. Varying degrees of relationships. Requests welcome. 2nd-It is sunny, bright as can be. A mockery of her existence in that moment. (nejisaku)
1. my fingers twist

I told you a lie, you see. You'll feel it. But not as much as me. (itasaku)

* * *

- in a fist behind your back

(itasaku)

"You won't feel anything, you know." Sakura's words are loud in the silence that surrounds the two. Her voice, soft as it is, breaks the quiet and disturbs the air. However, her patient remains seated; silent.

Sakura shifts slightly, trying to find a standing position that would make her appear as if she's busy. Or _something. _Just not...thinking about _that. _

But she is, and she can't help but admire what he does, how he's handling it himself. So calm, stoic and proud. Just like a true Uchiha. But then again, Sakura's always thought their attitudes were absolute _bullshit. _

So she tries again. "I promise, you know." She pauses in her words, debating what else to say. "That you won't feel pain, I mean. I uh...I promise."

The words are inadequate for the current situation, the Jonin knows. But it's the best she can offer. The only thing that might give some kind of comfort to the silent male behind her.

Turning, she faces the dark blob that's him, settled on his usual chair, staring out the window. Sakura hates the window. Hates it with a passion. It really doesn't lead to the outside, doesn't give true sunlight. It's a torture technique, and that's all.

And she _hates _it. But there isn't much she can do. Because in the next twenty four hours, Uchiha Itachi won't have need for real sunlight anymore.

Her brow furrows and her mouth tightens, but before she can begin to think too deeply- _yeah _fucking _right, like it's not happening already-_the male moves.

His face turns towards her, away from the deceitful window, a small smile curving his lips. His dark eyes, devoid of the Sharingan study her. And Sakura can't help but feel like he's digging deep, digging into her very own soul.

So she turns her eyes away, looks away from his own gaze, too sick to her stomach to bear it much longer.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could-could-" But Sakura _can't. _It isn't like when she was twelve, all starry hearts and rose colored glasses.

Not this time. And it won't go back that way. Not ever.

No, it's the real world now. And delusions have no place in the world of Shinobi.


	2. i'm asking you to stay

_(for just a little while)_

It's a routine, anymore. Wake up, get dressed, slap on some weapons, head to the hospital. The stagnancy is beginning to kill her, suffocate her in it's complacency. Blood boils just beneath the surface, ready to escape, to flood her system with adrenaline once more.

But that is no longer in Sakura's grasp, and she cannot deal with it. It's like a disease, slowly eating away at her patience, her sanity. All she wants to do is get out, go on a mission, slaughter some people-_anything. _

But war is on the horizon, and not even the Godaime Hokage will risk her apprentice. So Sakura does as she is told; she works in the hospital for long hours, longing for a chance to stretch her legs, to allow chakra to flood her body in a violent manner. It's a whimpering, whining need. But she focuses on other things, tamps it down until she's alone and then gives in.

Tsunade is not surprised to hear reports of a trashed training ground, or frustrated screams that could be heard around the vicinity of her apprentice's apartment. The Hokage longs to send her despairing student on a long mission, but it is not wise. No, not in this timeline, where war is all that the people breath.

Sakura is almost glad, however, the night that he returns. It is sunny, bright as can be. A mockery of her existence in that moment. For lying on the bed in front of her, beyond help and beyond repair, is Neji.

It is a crushing blow, to realize that no matter what, no matter how much time she has spent honing her skills, flexing her chakra and expanding it to a point where she could spend hours in a surgery and only expend about two thirds of it,she still cannot save her beloved.

The blow and the poison work in tandem. Fix one, and you make the other more aggressive. Fix the other, and the same things happen. Fix them together? It isn't long before Neji's broken body is convulsing. It is decisive. There is nothing they can do.

Konoha is no longer in doubt; war breaches their walls and suffocates their air, now. And the first lost to it's gripping reach is a prodigy, a good shinobi and an even better man.

Sakura mourns, but she also rejoices. Neji will not leave this world alone.

Her hand on his tightens its grip.

* * *

So...wow. Another sadish one? SORRY. And I know it's not very shippy, but I don't see Sakura and Neji being very relationship-y. I just don't.

Requests are MORE than welcome. I'd really appreciate it. Any pairing you want, anything you want to happen, etc. Just tell me and I'll find some way to make it work!

(This is also my first work in complete present tense. If I've messed it up somewhere, please, please tell me so I can fix it! Thanks. )


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